It is such an honor for me to be up here today giving the first president’s message on the first Rosh Hashanah of our new congregation—B’nai Torah MetroWest. It is incredible to think that in just a couple of months time, we have launched a brand-new temple community.
I am so thankful to our Board—Robin Berman, Jan Binus, Jon Ehrman, Elissa Nystedt, Orna Sonnenschein, Stephanie Strachman, and Terri Smith for their dedication and hard work over the past few months. I also want to extend a special thank you to Dale Donchin who was so instrumental in helping to start B’nai Torah MetroWest and to Jody Kotkin who designed our new website and is responsible for our social media and weekly newsletters. And I am deeply grateful for all of you—the founding members of BTM—who took a leap of faith, believed we could do it, and joined us on this meaningful journey.
While last year was a difficult and challenging year as we said goodbye to CBT, it is comforting to know that with the creation of B’nai Torah MetroWest, we are continuing many of the traditions of our former congregation: We will continue to be an intimate community where members can worship together, study and learn together, work on issues of social action and social justice together, socialize and have fun together—and finally to nurture and care for one another during times of loss, illness, and need.
I am thankful to all of you who have given sustaining “From the Heart Pledges” which are a substitute for a fixed dues structure —to help support and maintain our new community.
For me personally, the idea of giving from one’s heart feels especially poignant. As many of you know, I experienced cardiac symptoms last fall which led to my needing a quadruple bypass surgery in March. While the surgeon said it was unlikely that the surgery would finally help me achieve my dream height of 5 feet, he was able to repair my heart. I am so grateful to my husband Matt and our children Rachel and Jason, my sister, and my dad for helping me in my recovery. I was also so lucky to experience the love and nurturing of our community as so many of you dropped off meals, and sent flowers, cards, e-mails, and texts throughout my recovery—along with many thoughts and prayers of healing.
It was all this overwhelming support that led me to make the decision to step up and once again serve as president—this time, of our new congregation—even though my therapist suggested I might need my head examined! But I know, in my heart, that I am up to this challenge, because all of you are with me on this adventure as we work together to create the tight-knit temple community we all value.
This will be a year of many new beginnings as we start our building share arrangement with Congregation Or Atid in Wayland in October. Being a new and smaller congregation means that everyone has a voice and can help shape what we do in the coming years ahead. I encourage all of you to reach out to me or any board member if you have an idea or program you want to share and help organize.
We look forward to collaborating with Or Atid on many programs with their congregation. This will include Adult Learning, Social Action, Brotherhood and Sisterhood activities and so much more. Members of Or Atid are also very enthusiastic about having our two communities come together.
I hope you will all join us for our first shared Shabbat service at Or Atid on Friday night September 29th as we celebrate Sukkot and the moving of the Mariasis Family Torah to the Ark at Or Atid. We are so grateful to Larry and Dori Mariasis and their family for donating their family Torah to our B’nai Torah MetroWest community.
I want to extend a special thank you to Cantor Kate for leading us in meaningful services both last night and today and for sharing her beautiful voice while singing and chanting Torah along with the wonderful voices of our Choir members—Sandy Pochapin, Leslee Olender, and Lauren Cherkas and our piano accompanist Alix Pollick. I also want to thank our service co-leaders for Erev Rosh Hashanah and today’s morning service – Leslee Olender and Marc Milgram. I also want to express my gratitude to Marc and Dale Donchin for organizing all of the participants for our high holiday services. This can be a challenging task but you both make it look easy.
Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the Days of Awe when the Book of Life is open for the next 10 days. We ask G-d to inscribe us in the Book of Life as we understand how much lies beyond our control, while we also recognize our tremendous power to make a difference in our lives and in our world.
I am hopeful that creating and being a part of our new congregation—B’nai Torah MetroWest will make a difference in all of our lives and enhance the connection we all feel with one another and the community around us.
I want to wish all of you and your families a happy, healthy and a sweet New Year.
L’shana Tovah Tee-kah-tay-voo v’tee-kha-tay-moo
“May you be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life for a good year.”